I am becoming a werewolf

wensue
wensue Member Posts: 13
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
After chemo was over I became very excited when my hair started to grow back. Unfortunately, it is growing back in places I never had hair before like my chin, mustache area, jawline, and neck. After surgeries, chemo, radiation etc you would think I would be stronger then this, but I am freaking out with this hair. Has anyone experienced this? Any advice?

Comments

  • nancys
    nancys Member Posts: 323
    #2
    Oh Wendy, I know this is not funny for you but I sat here and laughed out loud at your post. Thank you for making me laugh. I don't know what is causing this hair to grow in strange places, but call you Onco office and ask about it. I am still in chemo and all of my body hair is gone, except I still have to take the hair off my upper lip. It continues to grow back,and I still have eyebrows. Let me know what you find out. Love to you, Nancy
  • tiger
    tiger Member Posts: 277
    #3
    nancys said:

    Oh Wendy, I know this is not funny for you but I sat here and laughed out loud at your post. Thank you for making me laugh. I don't know what is causing this hair to grow in strange places, but call you Onco office and ask about it. I am still in chemo and all of my body hair is gone, except I still have to take the hair off my upper lip. It continues to grow back,and I still have eyebrows. Let me know what you find out. Love to you, Nancy

    Hi Wendy, yup, welcome to "werewolves are us"
    After my chemo I had facial hair grow in, fortunately it was blond, even though I am a natural brunnette. I lost my eyelashes and eyebrows too, and now they are full and twice as long as before. The good new is the facial hair will probably fall out, mine did after a while.
    Hugs from tiger
  • judyd
    judyd Member Posts: 124
    #4
    Hi, well my case is quit different. I have not had radiation or chemo but a few days ago I noticed fuzzy hair growing around my incision. It is at the end of the incision closest under my arm but seems to far away to be regular underarm hair. Now how weird is that? Needless to say I am not impressed, it is really quit embarrasing. Hope you all have a great day. Judy
  • wensue
    wensue Member Posts: 13
    #5
    judyd said:

    Hi, well my case is quit different. I have not had radiation or chemo but a few days ago I noticed fuzzy hair growing around my incision. It is at the end of the incision closest under my arm but seems to far away to be regular underarm hair. Now how weird is that? Needless to say I am not impressed, it is really quit embarrasing. Hope you all have a great day. Judy

    Thanks so much for your input. The Onco said it was from the lack of Estrogen since the first round of chemo permanently killed my ovaries. I just got back from my first of what will be many electrolysis appointments. I just decided I would not just live with it! You guys are awesome!
  • vinny
    vinny Member Posts: 43
    #6
    You poor thing. I have to admit this was very funny, but also very freaky. I can't wait for my hair to grow in but now you've got me thinking. I have no advise for you other than check with your dr. See if he's heard of this before. I don't remember anyone on any of the cancer sites have this problem. Good Luck, I'm sure there's a good reason and a treatment to get rid of the unwanted hair. Your friend, vinnie
  • pamtriggs
    pamtriggs Member Posts: 386
    #7
    judyd said:

    Hi, well my case is quit different. I have not had radiation or chemo but a few days ago I noticed fuzzy hair growing around my incision. It is at the end of the incision closest under my arm but seems to far away to be regular underarm hair. Now how weird is that? Needless to say I am not impressed, it is really quit embarrasing. Hope you all have a great day. Judy

    It probably is underarm hair. I had all nodes removed & I get underarm hair growing quite far round to the front now. They pull the skin about a bit to close the incision. Just be careful shaving or use a cream. Just another cross we have to bear!! Love Pam
  • binsky
    binsky Member Posts: 2
    #8
    I had this happen when I was on tamoxifen. Several trips to an electrologist did the trick. It hurts a little, but after what we've been through, it's a piece of cake.
  • CynKay
    CynKay Member Posts: 1
    #9
    Hey all... I am new here and that is because I too was totally clueless about this "new hair" that I didn't have before chemo... so let me get this straight.. I had chemo..which made me loose my hair.. and now it is causing me to grow hair on the sides of my face???...Is this due to the Taxol?? Please send reply..thanks
  • marthac
    marthac Member Posts: 5
    #10
    CynKay said:

    Hey all... I am new here and that is because I too was totally clueless about this "new hair" that I didn't have before chemo... so let me get this straight.. I had chemo..which made me loose my hair.. and now it is causing me to grow hair on the sides of my face???...Is this due to the Taxol?? Please send reply..thanks

    I thought I was the only one! My arms were getting wire-like black hairs on them. Black hairs were also growing on my chin right below my lip, and I looked like I had a mustash on my upper lip. My hair fell out some after chemo, but it was mostly eyebrows that I lost. I told my doctor that whatever he was giving me that made me looing like a man to stop it. It turns out I was getting Prednisone which has these kind of side effects. Prednisone is a steriod. So now I guess I am doomed to use Nair the rest of my life. I hope this helps. Also look up the drug you are using online to get side effedcts.
    Take care. martha
  • desertgirl947
    desertgirl947 Member Posts: 653 Member
    #11
    tiger said:

    Hi Wendy, yup, welcome to "werewolves are us"
    After my chemo I had facial hair grow in, fortunately it was blond, even though I am a natural brunnette. I lost my eyelashes and eyebrows too, and now they are full and twice as long as before. The good new is the facial hair will probably fall out, mine did after a while.
    Hugs from tiger

    How long did it take?
    How long did it take for the excessive facial hair to disappear?
  • deerello
    deerello Member Posts: 22
    #12
    Hairy face
    Oh, I thought it was just me! My eyebrows and eyelashes are back to normal and I have about an inch of hair on my head, but I have noticed in profile hair on my jawline. It is very light, but still.....I had the bright idea to use a scrubby thing to "exfoliate" and that actually did remove some of the fuzz, but it was somewhat painful. Is there something besides electrolysis (which I cannot afford) or Nair (which I have heard makes the hair come back more)? No mustache (yet) which I would have more or less expected. My father was Italian, and my aunts had mustaches, but not from cancer treatment.
  • desertgirl947
    desertgirl947 Member Posts: 653 Member
    #13
    deerello said:

    Hairy face
    Oh, I thought it was just me! My eyebrows and eyelashes are back to normal and I have about an inch of hair on my head, but I have noticed in profile hair on my jawline. It is very light, but still.....I had the bright idea to use a scrubby thing to "exfoliate" and that actually did remove some of the fuzz, but it was somewhat painful. Is there something besides electrolysis (which I cannot afford) or Nair (which I have heard makes the hair come back more)? No mustache (yet) which I would have more or less expected. My father was Italian, and my aunts had mustaches, but not from cancer treatment.

    Contradictory Advice
    It seems that in this area, we can get contradictory advice. It makes it difficult to know what's the right decision to make -- let it be or do something about it. You can search the discussion boards here and get a mix of answers. You can talk with people you know and get contradictory answers.

    Right now I am just letting it be, as it is very blonde (which I am not) and only shows up in bright lighting. I think that my hair is about the length yours is. When did you finish chemo? I finished mid-July.

    It would maybe be encouraging if someone knew about how long it takes for the hair to disappear, those who say it will eventually disappear.

    The good thing to know is that apparently this is a very common thing.

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